Pulsed gas-discharge laser

Abstract

A pulsed gas-discharge laser, in particular an excimer laser, comprises main discharge electrodes (10, 10a) of erosion-resistant metal between which laser gas flows with high velocity to replace the laser gas between the main discharge electrodes from laser pulse to laser pulse. For preionizing the laser gas two X-ray radiation sources (30, 30a) are arranged adjacent one main discharge electrode (10). The flow path (18) of the laser gas is formed partially by flow bodies (16, 16a, 32, 32a) which consist of a material which has a high secondary emissive power with regard to the X-ray radiation. The secondary radiation is so configured that it promotes the preionization.

I claim: 
     
       1. A pulsed gas-discharge laser receiving a refreshed quantity of laser gas in a laser gas flow path within the gas-discharge laser prior to generation of a laser pulse by said pulsed gas-discharge laser, said pulsed gas-discharge laser including: a plurality of erosion-resistant metal main discharge electrodes having a refreshed quantity of laser gas located therebetween;   at least one X-ray radiation source arranged on a side of one of said plurality of erosion-resistant metal main discharge electrodes for generating X-ray radiation for preionizing the laser gas between the erosion-resistant metal main discharge electrodes; and   a plurality of flow bodies arranged at a flow path adjacent to said main discharge electrodes, said plurality of flow bodies having a high secondary X-ray emissive power with regard to X-ray radiation impinging onto said flow bodies to promote preionization of the refreshed quantity of laser gas located between the plurality of erosion-resistant metal main discharge electrodes.   
     
     
       2. A gas-discharge laser according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the plurality of erosion resistant metal main discharge electrodes is partially embedded into the flow bodies. 
     
     
       3. A gas-discharge laser according to claim 1, characterized in that two X-ray radiation sources are arranged adjacent and on either side of one of the main discharge electrodes. 
     
     
       4. A gas-discharge laser according to claim 3, characterized in that the X-ray radiation sources are arranged in recesses in a support of the main discharge electrode, the recesses being formed in the side of the support (12) which is remote from the flow path. 
     
     
       5. A gas-discharge laser according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of flow bodies consist of electrically insulating plastic positioned to irradiate X-ray shadow regions of a space between the main discharge electrodes. 
     
     
       6. A pulsed gas-discharge laser receiving a refreshed quantity of laser gas in a laser gas flow path within the gas-discharge laser prior to generation of a laser pulse by said pulsed gas-discharge laser, said pulsed gas-discharge laser including: a plurality of erosion-resistant metal main discharge electrodes having a refreshed quantity of laser gas located therebetween wherein said main discharge electrodes are embedded into a body surface which smoothly defines the laser gas flow path.